Emerging Heroes
by lackingvirtuoso
Summary: America certainly isn't a bad father-So when two of his favorite children confess to being ill-treated by their older sibling, he has to be the hero and find a way to help...Which just happens to include his best friend and enemy, England.  -NJ and KS-


New Jersey had always been burdened by low self-esteem, mainly because of his twin brother, New York. Every day he would have to face a stream of taunts from the bigger state-And feel like hiding away somewhere so deep in the shadows that no one would ever find him. But he never did tell his father, believing that he was probably busy in his dealings with world affairs. _Anyways,_ he'd often chide himself, _he has forty-nine other daughters and sons to look after._ He was just an insignificant waste of space (as New York would often say).

One morning, he woke up to silence, which was awfully strange. His twin usually came early in the morning to boast about one of his sports teams and add in a few insults to mix, or ask to borrow something or the other. Enjoying the solitude, he rose from his bed and walked to his kitchen, passing his study and small library. Strangely, though, the smell of food cooking came from the kitchen area; Who could it be? As he entered, a teenage boy who looked to be about five years younger than himself flashed a tentative smile.

"Morning, Trenton. Why are you here so early?" New Jersey glanced at the stove to see pancakes being made. "Getting away from Albany?" His capital's bashful expression told him that he was indeed correct.

"He just doesn't know when to stop! Albany's like a miniature version of New York! What can I do? And then you can't forget NYC!" Trenton was indignant, his rage spreading to his cooking as a pancake flew four feet up.

"We can just wait it out." Trenton gave him a glare that clearly meant _"Seriously?"_. "Here, think of it this way. It takes time for a plant to fight of an invading force, like a bug-We'll be strong like that and wait till we can do it!" He tried his best to ignore the dubious looks cast his way, praying for some sort of distraction. Suddenly, the home's phone rang and New Jersey rushed to answer it. "Hello? How are you, D.C.?"

Washington, D.C. had been calling every state to give them information about a meeting in her city, most of them, so far, so sleepy they had barely registered that she was talking. "Thank god you're awake, New Jersey. New York told me you would probably be up by now." Inwardly, he cringed, remembering the times as children when his brother would pour ice on him early in the morning and then order him around for the rest of the day. "Tomorrow is the first official United States meeting, and Dad'll be there. He said that he feels guilty for not seeing us enough and he wants to make it up."

"Really? The last time all of us tried to talk in one room...ended rather violently." On the other end, he heard a heavy sigh.

"Well, it's about time we changed our past and looked forward to the future. And even I don't want to go! Philadelphia might try and kill me, while Virginia and Maryland will be too busy fighting over me to notice anything else! Those two are almost like Belarus and I'm Russia!" Regaining her calm tone once more, D.C. finished her call. "Sorry, but I have to go. I still have more than half of the states to call! And make sure to pass on my message to Trenton!" With that, the line went dead.

During the time he had been chatting, Trenton had inched closer and closer until he was able to eavesdrop. "Hey, what message?"

"Meeting tomorrow in D.C.'s city. America's going to be there." To see Trenton grin almost like a five-year old was a rare thing to see. "Er, why are you smiling like that?"

"Yes, it's the perfect opportunity! Jersey, do you realize what I just did? Tomorrow, once and for all, we can end this dispute with New York by telling America! Come on, let's get packed!" Slowly, realization dawned upon New Jersey.

"But wouldn't that make New York even more evil towards us? He'd call us tattletales and wimps!"_ Logic is the way to go...  
><em>

"So? It's worth a try! The sooner the plant is cleaned, the less damage it suffers in the end!" _Did he just twist my words so that they worked for him?_

Reluctantly, New Jersey nodded. "Can't we have the pancakes first? What's the point in hurrying?" And after such disheartening news, New Jersey certainly felt like eating some warm, sweet comfort food.

* * *

><p>At the same time in a home in the "heart of the U.S.A.", Kansas awoke and hurried to make breakfast for Topeka, her older sister Missouri, and her sister's capital, Saint Louis. After quite literally leaping out of bed, she quickly tied a laced bonnet on her head and slipped into a knee-length, pale yellow dress. Hurriedly, she heated up the stove and placed a pan on it, trying to finish making the omelets before everyone woke up. A knock sounded on the door-<em>Too late...<em> That was probably Topeka.

She ran to the door and opened it to reveal what looked like a sixteen-year-old boy. "What took you so long? Don't tell me breakfast isn't ready yet!"

"I-I just woke up, Topeka. Sorry for not being ready." Kansas hung her head.

"Stop acting like a child. Well, you _do _look like one, so I suppose it's only natural. What a baby." He stepped into the house and promptly flopped down onto a reclining chair. "Why are you looking at me like a lost puppy? I want to eat!" Kansas meekly turned away and went to finish the cooking. After doing so, making three separate dishes, she delivered one to Topeka.

"Sorry, but I need to go and give food to Big Sister and Saint Louis. Remember to lock the door behind me, please."

"Why should I? And this omelet isn't hot enough." Two containers in hand, she exited the house and placed the things into her bicycle's front basket. As she was about ready to pull up her skirts a bit and start to pedal, Kansas felt a lick on her ankle.

"Toto! Did Topeka not let you come in?" The small brown dog's reply was a pitiful whine. "Do you want to ride with me?" Toto barked happily. Kansas set him upon the two containers and set off towards her Big Sister's home. Toto stuck his head out in the wind, his ears flying back cutely.

Thirty minutes later, she pedaled into the large driveway and dashed up to the bright red door. Kansas knocked once on the door and it immediately opened. "Can't you read clocks, Kansas? You were supposed to be here at twenty minutes ago!" Saint Louis had never treated her with much respect in the past, and she doubted that would ever change. "Oh, never mind, let's go to the dining room."

"I'm really, really sorry, Louis!"

Giving her a piercing glare, Saint Louis spoke. "My name is Saint Louis to you, Bloody Kansas!" They now stood in front of an enormous rectangular dining table with a purple-clad, twenty-something lady at the head.

"So you're finally here, Kansas. I was beginning to think I might have to come over there myself, like I did during the Civil War." Bad memories surfaced in Kansas' mind: Memories of crimson blood and war cries.

"Please forgive me, Big Sister Misery!" _Oops! _She had accidentally called Missouri a nickname her people had for hers. _Did she notice?_

"What did you just call me, Kansas?" Unable to find her voice, Kansas desperately wished for a distraction. A phone rang in the next room, causing Missouri to get up and go to answer it. "D.C.! What make you wanna call? Dad's gonna come? Oh, a meeting, alright, but don't bother telling Kansas. She'd just be a burden to us all!" Kansas was debating whether or not to go and tell her Big Sister to stop being mean, but she decided only to remain in her spot a few feet away. A loud, feminine voice came from the phone.

_"All states must come!"_ At least someone recognized she was there! Missouri hung up and grit her teeth.

"Never mind breakfast, we have to go to the East Coast. Call your capital, Kansas, and we're leaving." The phone was thrown at the girl, who caught it and phoned Topeka tentatively, but with rekindled hope within her.

If she could only talk to her dad... Maybe then he could help her get out of this awful, suppressed life.

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading this far. Did you enjoy it? Dislike it? Please tell me in a review-And can anyone think of nice human names for New Jersey and Kansas?<em>

_Things really start to pick up in the next chapter and the third. Again, please give me feedback._

_~Vanya_


End file.
